Following two rounds of rigorous local and state SkillsUSA Championship competitions, seven Waubonsee Community College students secured a coveted spot in the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) held in Atlanta, GA, on June 24-28, 2024. NLSC is a week-long celebration, the largest gathering of America’s future skilled workforce, and the ultimate recognition of excellence in career and technical education. The event brings together more than 16,000 spectators and participants.
Waubonsee students competed head-to-head in various skill and leadership competitions, securing a national place among over 6,000 state champions in Automotive Refinishing, Automotive Service Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Sheet Metal.
Traveling with the winning students were Executive Dean for Business, Technology and Workforce Education Ne’Keisha Stepney, Guy Tiberio, Associate Professor of Automotive Technology, Tyler Friedland, Instructor of Automotive Technology, Ramiro Cervantes, Instructor of Auto Collision and Refinishing Technology, Joseph Kloke, Assistant Professor of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, and Waubonsee’s Business Club Faculty Advisors and Instructors Dr. Nour Al Naber and Andy Clements. Randall Hines, Associate Professor of Computer Aided Design and Drafting, served as judge at NLSC for the Additive Manufacturing Competition.
“SkillsUSA National represents the best of the best,” said Stepney. “What I am most proud of is these students’ ability to persist towards their goals, their dedication and perseverance; they did not give up; they were resolute in their unwavering commitment to win and master skills that will shape their futures,” she added.
National Ranking of Waubonsee Students
- Aleah Sauder, of Marengo, Automotive Refinishing Technology, studying Auto Body Repair, earned second place (out of 28)
- Joshua Kovar, of St. Charles, Automotive Service Technology, studying Automotive Service Technology, earned eighth place (out of 34)
- Julian Flores, of Oswego, Sheet Metal, studying Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning, earned seventh place (out of 8)
- Entrepreneurship Team: Danny Conti, of Sugar Grove, Ryan Fotre, of Sugar Grove, Jake Guernon, of Sugar Grove, and Elijah Somlock, of Sandwich, studying Business Administration, earned sixth place (out of 6)
Waubonsee’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs and offerings equip students with the latest technology, hands-on experience, and training to prepare them for high-skill, high-demand, and high-wage careers in Illinois and beyond. Faculty work closely with students to create an environment that helps them maximize learning and earn industry-recognized credentials to stay competitive in today’s job market. Waubonsee students also have access to various opportunities to compete on local, state, and national stages, following the college’s tradition of delivering top results at SkillsUSA both regionally and nationally.
With four campuses and online learning available to students in the western suburbs, Waubonsee is proud to serve as an economic hub and driver of a skilled workforce – in Illinois and beyond. The college is building a state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot Technical Education Center (TEC) at its Sugar Grove Campus. Upon completion in the fall of 2025, the TEC will include specialized labs and cutting-edge training spaces for students in automotive technology, auto body repair, and welding.
Visit waubonsee.edu/CTE for more information about Waubonsee’s CTE programs and offerings.
Pictured above: Waubonsee Community College student Josh Kovar conducts an inspection and diagnostic at the Automotive Service Technology Workstation during the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) held in Atlanta, GA, on June 24-28, 2024.
